Two Cardiff-based entrepreneurs have taken to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to fund what they’re calling Wales’s first gamers lounge.

Having already raised over a £1,600 of a £10,000 campaign, the Checkpoint Gaming Lounge will be a place gamers can go to play their favourite titles – whether PC, console or board-based – while enjoying a nice drink and some food.

Paul Tristram (28) and Ben Pattenden (24) hope to launch the lounge in late September, ready for when the city’s universities open their doors to keen students.

The duo has been working on Checkpoint for around 10 months, coming up with a business plan covering opportunities as well as risks and working alongside organisations such as Big Ideas Wales and Business In Focus.

Paul Tristram, co-founder of Checkpoint, said: “With Checkpoint, we want to be the central hub for gamers to meet and play with other people – maybe even a place where gamers across the world can meet with friends who they’ve been playing with for years.

“In order for this dream to become a reality, we need to raise money to be able to afford the start-up costs and overheads following the first few months of opening. We have a number of options for securing the money and have the interest of investors as well as the option to take out a start-up loan.

“By keeping our overheads low, we’re able to put more money back into the lounge to give our customers a better experience, and this is why we wanted to run a Kickstarter campaign.

“Kickstarter enables us raise money for Checkpoint, while giving back to the people who’ve helped us to create this amazing and unique venue. We have some great rewards that enable people to take advantage of gaming before the lounge opens as well as checkpoint merchandise and loyalty cards.

“The funds are coming in gradually for via Kickstarter, and some people are already taking advantage of the great rewards we are offering. Should Kickstarter be unsuccessful, we have contingency plans in order to make sure that the venue is still a great success.”